Controlling mechanism for electric automobiles.



0. P. FRITGHLE.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1913. 1, 1 27,427, Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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O. P. FRITGHLE.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1913.

1,1 27,427. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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WITNESSES: l/VI/E/VTOR UNITED STATES PATENT orricn.

OLIVER P. FRITCHLE, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FRITCHLE AUTO- MOBILE & BATTERY 00., OF DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION'OF COLORADO.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed September 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that .I, OLIVER P. F ITOHLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certainnew and useful. Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Electric Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for controlling electric automobiles, whereby the automobile will be made safe against acci dental starting-or reversing, or leaving its place when standing idle.

An object of my invention is to produce a controlling mechanism that will prevent accidents due to unconscious movements of the levers, to be fool-proof, and to eflect the switching, locking, controlling, braking, reversing, and starting with the minimum number of levers and wearing parts.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the invention is illustrated diagrammatically, Figure 1 is a view of the steering column and controller, showing a section-of the switch box and the relation of the various parts when the controller and switch are in the old-position; Fig. 2 shows a side View of the controller lever when raised to the upper reverse segment for reversing the motor; Fig. 3 shown a plan view of the controller lever on the lower ahead segment tional view of the switch box, on the line A-B, Fig. 1;Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the controller lever on the upper reverse segment at full speed reverse position, on the line AB, Fig. 1; Fig.5 shows a sectional view of the switch box, on the line J- K Fig. 1, showing the switch thrown in,

action cam for locking the controller at the various points on the line GH, Fig. 1.

In Fig.1, the lever 2 is connected at the joint 3 to the steering-shaft 35, which passes Specifleationof Letters Patent.

switch Patented Feb. 9, 1915. Serial N0. 787,824.

through the controller-tube 9, and connects to the steering-crank 36, which in turn is connected .to the steering rods connecting The controller-tube 9 has ad' the wheels. acent its upper end a controller-sector casting and support 4, which earriesthe upper reversing-sector 5, and the lower ahead-sector 6. The lever 7 carrying an alarm pushbutton 8, is pivotally secured to the tube 9, permitting a limited upward and downward movement, and also turning the tube 9 around the shaft 35 through about a quarter of a circle. The sectors 5 and 6 are in different planes, that is, out of alinement, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are spaced by a slot 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, permitting the extension 51, containing slot 50, to pass to the upper and lower sectors 5 and 6, the slot 50 inclosing the sector as shown. The stops, or extremities, 18 and 19 on seetors 5 and 6 limit the movement of the lever.

At the lower end of tube 9 is a miter gear 24:, meshing with a similar gear 24, which latter is mounted upon shaft 34 carrying the insulated drum 28 and segments 29, and reversingrswitch cam 30. :Upon the turning of the lever 7, shaft 34 is turned through the miter-gears; the drum 28 being locked in different positions by the cam 25, pawl 27, and spring 26. Electric connections are made corresponding to the different positions of the lever 7 through the brushes or wipers 47 and segments or contact-rings 29,

the latter suitably mounted upon the drum 28. The circuit-ifs-=l -.reversed through the reversing-switch contacts 32 by the switch 31, operated by cam 30, above referred to.

Upon the tube 9 is a cam 10, shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6; which-controls the main mechanism contained in the case 13. A lever 16, pivoted at '17, carries the contact 14, which closes thefgcircuit. through clips 15. The movemen 'the lever 16 is controlled by the spri' essed locking pawl 12, operated by the; n 11, which in turn is operated by the carn l tion shown in Figs. 1 and 5',

the cam is engaging the pin, releasing the pawl, and permitting the closing of the switch contacts 15 by the movement of the'lever 16; while in Fig. 6, the cam 10 is'not in engagement 0. In the posi-' with the pin 11, the pawl 12 is pressed by spring 22 and engages the lever 16, preventing the closing of the circuit. The lower end of lever 16 is connected, through link 38, with the locking-pawl 39, which engages the ratchet 40. This ratchet is connected through the levers 43, 4A and 45, with the treadle 46, the levers 4:5- and 4:3 controlling the brake-strap 41 on the brake-drum 4:2. The switch-case 13 also carries the lighting switch 23. i

The operation of the controller is as follows :The lever 7 rests on the lower ahead sector 6 and is moved forward on' this sector for the different speeds ahead. The lever cannot be lifted as long as it is in the running ahead position, as the lower ahead sector guides the lever, in lever guide slot 50. When it is necessary to shut off the power while going ahead, the lever is moved back until it strikes the upper reversin sector 5, which acts as a stop at the 0 point,

while the lever is prevented from being moved off the'lower ahead sector at its full speed point by the stop 19.

In order to reverse the controller, the controller lever 7 can onlybe raised while it is in the off position in order to cause the upper reversing sector to engage the lever guide slot 50, the open space 20 permitting the controlling lever to be raised and lowered from the upper sector to the lower sectoriin this off position only. When the lever is in full speed reversing position it is prevented from moving off the upper sector by the stop 18.

The switching is accomplished as follows':The running switch lever 16 is moved by the handle 21 ahead for closing the main circuit by pushing the insulated contact 14 into the clips 15, whichcan only be accomplished when the cam projection 10 has moved the locking pin 11 in, moving the pawl 12 out of the path of the switch lever. Should the controller be in any running position, either. the ahead or reverse position, however, the cam-projection leaves the pin 11, which causes the spring 22 tomove the pawl 12 into the path of the switch lever,

preventing the switch from being closed until the controller is put into the off position, thereby safeguarding the automobile from being started unconsciously, preventing accidents, runaways and collisions.

The locking of brakes is accomplished as follows :The switch lever 16 is connected to the pawl 39 by means of suitable links and cranks. 'To look the brakes, the brake foot pedal 46 is pushed forward which causes the brake strap 41 to contract around the brake drum 42, then the switch handle' 21 is pushed in the backward direction, causing the pawl 39 to engage the teeth of ratchet 40, locking the brakes, which remain locked until the pedal is moved forward slightly to relieve the strain on the pawl before the switch lever can be moved forward; it is therefore impossible to throw in the runnin' switch ever must unlock the brakes before it can be thrown ahead to close the main circuit. Braking While running is done by the foot treadle only and cannot be locked while running. The reversing switch 31 is actuated by the reversing-switch cam 30,which throws the switch on reversing only, it being the object of this invention-is to reduce the friction, which is common to controllers, to a minimum, and it will be seen that the cam 30 does not engage the reversing switch in the ahead position, which does away with the friction entirely in one direction.

The insulated drum 28 carries the contact rings 29, which make necessary contacts at the various points with the wiper contacts 17, while quick making and breaking of contacts are accomplished by the controller action cam 25, andthe snap efiect is produced at each step by the action of lever 27 and the roller'52, which latter is carried by this lever and is held in tension by the spring 26.

The steering is accomplished by moving the steering handle bar 2, which imparts switch with brakes locked, asrthe 2. In an automobile controller, the combination of a lever, spaced ahead and reverse sectors, said space constituting the off position, means on said lever cooperating with said sectors preventing the movement from one sector to the other without passing through the off position, a switch,

and means controlled by said lever for unlocking said switch when the lever is in the off position.

3. In an automobile controller, the combination of a lever, controller contacts operated by said lever, a locking device giving a step-by-step movement to said controller contacts, a current-reversing switch mechanically disconnected when said lever is in the ahead position thereby'avoidingfrice tion, and mechanically connected when the lever is in the reverse position.

4. In an automobile controller, the combination of a lever, a main switch, a lockin means for said switch, means controlled by said lever to-operate said locking means and In testimony whereof I aifix my signature release said switch, a foot-brake mechanism, in presence of two witnesses. a ratchet "connected to said foot-brake mech-' anism, a pawl operated by said main switch, OLIVER FRITCHLE I 5 said pawl arranged to engage said ratchet Witnesses:

by a movement of said switch and lock the JAs. L. BOUTWELL,

brake in the braked position. J. D. MACDONALD. 

